Inking-pad



A. WOODRUFF.

INKING PAD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1920.

Patented Julie 14, 1921.

ALONZO WOODR'UFF, 0F AUBURN, NEW JYOItK.

INKIN'G-PAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Junel l, 1921.

Application filed September 29, 1920. Serial No. 413,554

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo Woonnorr, of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Inking-Pads, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to certain improvements in inking pads adapted to be used more particularly in supplying ink to rubber stamps which may be impressed against the face thereof for transferring the impressions of the stamp to other articles. In pads of this character, considerable difficulty is experienced in maintaining a properdistribution of the ink over the surface of the pad to which the stamp is applied owing to variations in the consistency of the ink in the absorbent elements of the pad under varying atmospheric temperatures, and also from frequent compression of the absorbent elements tending to expel'the liquid therefrom.

That is,when the pad is confined within the usual case and the latter exposed to warmer atmospheric temperatures, the ink seems to exude from the absorbent elements of the pad and to collect to an excessive degree over and upon the surface thereof and upon the surface of the usual fabric covering to which the rubber stamp is directly applied, the result of which is totransfer an excessive quantity of the ink to the stamp and to blur the record produced by the stamp. V The main object of my invention is to re duce these objectionable results to a minimum by restricting the direct flow of the ink from the absorbent elements to the surface -of the fabric covering, or, in other words,

by inter'posing a layer of ink-impervious material between the upper surface of the absorbent element and overlying portion of the fabriccovering in such manner that the latter will contact with the absorbent elements only along the marginal edges thereof, or wholly outside of the marginal edges of the impervious layer so that the only ink which reaches the active surface of the padto which the same is applied isthat which can be taken. up and distributed by thefcapillary attraction from the small area of contact of the fabric covering with the marginal edges of the absorbent element across the relatively larger area of said'fabric across the upper surface of'the impervious layer.

Another object is-to bind the fabric coverlng around the supporting base and superposed layers of absorbent and impervious material in such manner that the impervious layer will be slightly concave-convex in cross-section with its convex face uppermost or adjacent the fabric covering to permit any excess inkwhich may lodge'thereon to flow back of the marginal edges of the absorbent layers, where it is held in reserve for re-distribution over the active surface of the fabric covering when the pad is compressed by the application of the stamp thereto. Y 7

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings: e

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pad embodying the various featuresof my invent1on. p

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the same pad.

As illustrated,-this pad comprises a substantially flat and rectangular base block -1, an absorbent element -2, an inkimpervious layer '3 and a fabric covering 4, all of which parts are assembled one upon each other in the relation named to form a unitary laminated'structure,

The main support or base block 1- may be of any suitable size convenient for handling andispreferably made of wood treated with anysuitable liquid and acid proof material to preserve it against deterioration and to prevent "absorption of the ink thereby.

The absorbent element 2- may be made of one or more layers of felt or equivalent material capable of receiving and retaining by absorption a quantity ofink for an in definite period of time, said absorbent layers being preferably of substantially thesame surface area as that of the base block 1-- upon which they rest and are usually impregnatedwith the desired inkwithout oversaturation. a

The ink-impervious layer 3- preferv attraction in' extremelyismall quantities,

ably consists of a comparatively thinsheet of cardboard" or other suitable material of ent element, so that when placedupon the upper surface thereof, it will leave the mar ginal edges of the absorbent element PFOJGCting slightly beyond the corresponding edges T thereof. In other Words, the impervlous element 3 lies Wholly withinthe-marginal edges of the absorbent element -2-- and is treated or-coated insuchi manneras to render it liquid proof or impervious to the passage of the ink therethrough. V ,1 a

The covering -4-- is; preferably made of comparatively thin, tough fabric extending across and upon the entire upperfface of the impervious layer +3- andacross the marginal edges or sides of the absorbent element 2+ and supporting 'baseQ-1, and'has its marginal edges secured by any suitable adhesive, or otherwise, to the underside of said base. This covering is preferably finely porous,-and, therefore, more or less pervious to the ink and. is, usually drawn tightly acrossthe upperfsurfaceof the-impervlous element '3-1'? and across the edges of the elements --'1--.and 2-- with sufficient force to draw the marginal edges of the impervious element or layer a slightly below the horizontal plane of its central portion so that the layer 3' is slightly concavo-convexin cross-section with its convex face uppermost and in close contact with the adj aeent portion of the covering 4 so that if there isany tendencyof the ink to accumulate excessively upon the active portion of the pad; it will flow back from the center toward the marginaledgcs of the pad and be absorbed by the edges of the absorbent J element; -2, thereby assisting the plate 3- in preventing accumulation of excess quantities of ink over active surface of thepad. a

The greatest advantage, however, is derived from, the interposition of the impervious layer "-3- between the active surface of the covering -4-and absorbent element -2- in that it restrains the up-flow of the ink from the major portions of the absorbent element to thesuperposed portion of the fabric covering 4- where the pressure of the stamp is most frequently applied," and permits the supply of ink to flow only from the marginal edges of the absorbent element tothe superposed portion of the covering -4, where it is gradually distributed by capillary or justsufiicient to produce the desired transfer and upon the of the ink from the fabric surface to the This result is further a gnmented by h "tion is that the impervious layer 3 lies of supply orpad, the advantage of which is that it affords a more direct and, therefore, a moreirapid and even (IliSt-I'lblltlOIl Of the ink upper face of the ink-saturated body, and-a 52, thereby causing all portions of the stamp to be inkednniforrnly and reducing to minimum the liability of an excess supply of ink to any portion ofthe stamp.

Another important feature of the lnvenin closejuxtaposition not only to the absorbent pad, but also to the overlying distribut ing layer or cover, or, in other words, the nearness oftheinking surface to the source from the reservoir or pad to the inking surface without liability of over-saturatlon.

The structure shown and, described has been foundto be highly ,eflicientin carrying out the objects and accomplishing the resuits named, but :I do not/wish to limit myself to the particular materials described nor to the detailed construction described.

What I claim is: a 1 1 1.;Aninking pad comprising a base block, 1

.an inlcsaturated bodyiresting on said block,

a relatively thin ink-impervious layer on the fabric covering across the upper face of the impervious layer and'attached to the base block.

" r x" 1 i '2. An.inkingpadvhaving a layer of inksaturated materialffor retainin ithe ink a- '10 relatively thin layer of ink-impervious material-restingfon the upper surface of the ink saturated layer, anda fabric covering across and in close contact With the upper face of the imperviouslayer and contacting with the edges'ofthe mic-saturated layer to convey the ink from the edges only of the absorbent layer to theportions of the covering overly- 'ing theimpervious layer. r i I 3. Anmking pad comprising a base block, an mksaturated element resting on said block," a flexible ink impervious layer resting on the upper face of the ink-saturated element "wholly Within the marginal edges thereof, and a fabric covering across the 1 upper face-of the impervious layer and attached to the base block.

4. Aninking pad comprising abase block,

an ink absorbent element resting on said block, an ink impervious layer resting on the upper face of theabsorbent element Wholly within the marginal edges thereof, and a fabric covering across the upper face of the impervious layer and attached to the base block,-sa1d coverlng being drawn sufficiently tight to cause the marginal edges of the imperviouslayer to be depressed below the horizontal plane' of its central portion,

- whereby any'excess ink tending to accumulate on the central p rtion f th imp rvious 1 layer may flow toward the marginal edges thereof and on to the corresponding edges of the absorbent element.

5. An inking pad having an ink absorbing layer and a suitable support therefor in combination with an ink-impervious layer resting upon the absorbent layer and having its marginal edges disposed some dlstances within the marginal edges of the absorbent layers, and a fabric-coveringrinolosing the 10 impervious layer and marginal edges of the absorbent layer.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of September 1920.

' ALONZO WOODRUFF. Witnesses H. E. CHASE,

ROSE G. CARROLL. 

